Page 30 of One Day Like This (Excess All Areas 1)

“We’re adults, Gemma.”

“Okay. But watch your heart. I’ve seen the way you’ve looked at him over the years,” Gemma whispered as they stood at the top of the makeshift aisle. “Have you got your stories straight about how all this happened? How the two of you got together?”

Momentarily panicked, Izabel tried to conjure a story. Why hadn’t they considered his appearance by her side would bring questions? And worse, what if Matt was getting questions while he was in the bar. Shit. They should have talked about it, should have come up with a plan. Instead, they’d spent the car ride with her blathering on about nothing important.

“I know what I’m doing, Gemma. This was a much better option than being here alone.” She wanted to say more but Harry edged closer to them.

“Yeah, but there was the whole train wreck with his brother.”

“We all make mistakes. Remember Gary Potter.”

Gemma rolled her eyes. “God, yes. That loser wasted eight months of my life.”

“At least I only wasted eight hours on Jase.”

“True. You always were much smarter.”

“Girls,” Gemma’s mum snapped. “Pay attention.”

Thankfully, the rest of the rehearsal went smoothly and without any questions. As soon as it was done, Izabel hustled to the bar. She found Matt stood by a tall table with a pint glass in front of him.

“We need to talk,” she muttered quickly.

Matt looked up, his dark eyes fixed immediately on hers. “Hi, sweetheart.”

“No. No time for cute names.” No matter how much the use of one melted her heart. “Gemma reminded me. We don’t have a story of how we got together.”

Matt picked up his beer and took a sip. “Easy. Keeping it simple is the best. I helped you move into Luke’s after the split, realised I’d almost lost you to Harry. Waited a few months before making a move because I didn’t want to be a rebound. One day, I saw you in the lobby of the building, and talked you into coming up to dinner at my place.”

“What did we eat?”

“What’s your favourite?”

“I don’t know. I like shit food. My go-to comfort food is a fish finger sandwich.”

“Perfect. I made your favourite. You thought you were going to get some fancy meal when all you really wanted, because you’d had a shitty day, was a fish finger sandwich. And, voila, that was what I’d made, and how you knew you loved me.”

“I love you?”

“Of course. Don’t you?”

Izabel took his pint glass and took a sip. “By your logic, we’ve been dating for two months. Isn’t it a bit soon to know if you love someone?”

Matt grinned. “Iz. Our love is out of the ordinary. When the stars aligned to show us what’s in our hearts, how could we ignore it?”

“You should be a songwriter, you know.”

“Really? Never considered it.”

Izabel laughed. “You’re an idiot.”

“Yes, but I’m your idiot, the one who is going to get you a drink before you finish my pint off. What do you want?”

“The rest of your pint?”

Now Matt laughed. “Fine. Drink it. I’ll get another couple of pints.”

Izabel picked up the glass and sipped as she watched him walk to the bar. Man, he had a fine arse. And his shoulders? Iz sighed.

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